'Denied': Justice Thomas flatly turns away Florida AG's demand to halt federal judge's injunction he was held in contempt for defying

James Uthmeier, Clarence Thomas

Left: Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier speaks during a meeting between Gov. Ron DeSantis and the state cabinet at the Florida capitol in Tallahassee, Fla., Wednesday, March 5, 2025 (AP Photo/Rebecca Blackwell, file). Right: Associate Justice Clarence Thomas poses for an official portrait at the East Conference Room of the Supreme Court building on October 7, 2022 in Washington, DC. (Alex Wong/Getty Images).

Conservative Justice Clarence Thomas and at least four of his colleagues on the U.S. Supreme Court, though it”s unclear how many, unceremoniously declined to disturb a federal judge’s order blocking enforcement of SB 4-C, a law that created state criminal penalties for illegal immigration in Florida.

The Wednesday denial of Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier’s application for a stay of U.S. District Judge Kathleen Williams’ preliminary injunction pending appeal in the 11th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals was only one line, containing no further explanation or reasoning from SCOTUS.

“The application for stay presented to Justice Thomas and by him referred to the Court is denied,” the order said.

In April, Williams, a Barack Obama appointee, sided with the plaintiffs, the Florida Immigrant Coalition and the Farmworker Association of Florida, granting the temporary restraining order and the injunction they requested. Williams was persuaded by the argument that SB 4-C amounted to an unconstitutional state assertion of immigration enforcement powers that belong to the federal government.

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Uthmeier, a Republican appointed by Gov. Ron DeSantis, was evidently not convinced that the injunction was “legitimate,” which landed him in hot water with the judge.

At first, in response to the Williams’ April 18 order that he “provide actual notice of the TRO” to any and all “law enforcement officer[s] with power to enforce [S.B.] 4-C,” Uthmeier sent a letter stating that they “should take no steps to enforce [S.B. 4-C], including through arrests or detentions” and “comply” with the restraining order.

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